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Candle-Powered LED Lantern

04-19-2012, 05:14 PM

I just paid a visit to one of my favorite woodworking dealers and when I first saw this I had sort of a "are you kiddin' me?" moment! A "candle-powered" LED lamp? Isn't that sort of like having a coal-fired, electric heater?

Actually, it does look sort of neat, but I'm still left to wondering if this isn't a left over from April Fool's Day!

I guess I just look at this as sort of gimicky. Sure it works and I have some understanding of the science behind it. I actually have one of those small "Peltier Effect" food cooler/heaters, which is pretty neat, though it takes some amperage to work.

But in the case of this lamp, there is far less energy contained in the candle than in, say, a rechargeable battery. The battery can be recharge and is significantly more compact and less dangerous and perhaps even less poluting (if you're inside a small building, camper, or tent). This particular lamp is a bit of an odditiy and certainly a conversation piece, but from a pratical point of view, I think I'd prefer a small, rechargeable and maybe even a solar-powered charger or hand-generator lamp.

Thanks,

CWS

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CWS, I agree with you that this seems like backwards engineering. I got away from candles for emergency lighting and think it's absurd to use one to power an LED lantern. I'm sure somewhere there is a coal burning machine that powers a air filtering machine

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It seeems to me that the reasoning behind using a candle to power LED lighting is the fact most of the energy given off by a candle is heat. So by harnessing that thermal energy, more visable light can be given off with the proper converter.
In comparason, incandecent lamps only give off 9% of the energy expended as visable light, the rest is simply heat.

Still, in an emergancy, such a device can give out more light using a candle than a candle can by itself. Have to admit, it is pretty clever.

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This is an awesomely cool find! I think Tailgunner got it right. The unit uses temperature differential to create the electricity. The candle has much more potential heat energy than a battery. Although Frankiearms' link shows someone that made one using a cell phone battery. I'm not really sure how that would work. Either way, I'm having to discipline myself not to click that GIVE ME ONE button!!! I camp lots and this kind of thing would be (if it really works) impressively awesome at camp. Maybe I can talk one of my fellow campers into this purchase...hmmmm...

I put it all back together better than before. There\'s lots of leftover parts.

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If you go to Lee Valleys site and do an item search for April Fools you'll not find this on the list that comes up so I think it's real. Pretty neat actually and I'm not one bit surprised that Lee Valley offers it. I mean where else can you buy these.

I decided to change calling the bathroom the "John" and renamed it the "Jim". I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning.

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This is for VASandy or anyone who enjoys camping or needs a great emergency light. I bought one as a gift for the technician who always does the M.R.I. exams for my wife. He and his sons go camping often with the boy scouts. I gave it a try the night before we gave it to him and it is impressive. You can adjust the brightness of the light as well as focus the beam from a wide flood to spotlight. Couldn't get the picture but it is a headlight. Paid $38 on ebay. Manufacturer is Coast-H7

The LED LENSER H7 Headfirelight features 170 lumen's of focus-able light that last up to 55 hours ( 55hrs (low) 5h (high) from standard AAA batteries. The H7 Headfire is not only superior in power efficiency, lasting much longer than a traditional bulb on the same battery
Features:

The LED LENSER H7 Headfirelight features 170 lumen's of focus-able light that last up to 55 hours ( 55hrs (low) 5h (high) from standard AAA batteries. The H7 Headfire is not only superior in power efficiency, lasting much longer than a traditional bulb on the same battery